Once you've installed Vizlib Server, you can move to the last stage of the setup - Configuration, which is managed by the Vizlib and Qlik Management Consoles (VMC and QMC). There are several different types of configuration, depending on your server and your Qlik Sense environment. This article outlines the configuration steps for configuring Qlik Sense environments (Single and Multi Node), standalone server environments, setting up access to Vizlib Server without using SSL certificates, and summarizes some post-installation checks to make sure the setup has completed correctly. If a section is required for all types of configuration, it has the title All Configurations.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Vizlib Server Configuration - Setup Guide
- VMC Server Settings - All Configurations
- Virtual Proxy Default Settings
- Virtual Proxy Configuration - Qlik Sense Single Node Environment
- Virtual Proxy Configuration - Standalone Server
- Virtual Proxy Configuration - Qlik Sense Multi-Node Environment
- Post-Installation Checks - All Configurations
- Using Vizlib Server without an SSL Certificate
Vizlib Server Configuration - Setup Guide
This article forms part of the Vizlib Server setup guide - three separate documents designed to be used together. The Installation Prerequisites article contains technical advice and a checklist to prepare for an installation, the Installation document guides you through the steps for installations or updates, and the Configuration reference (this article) has instructions for completing the setup.
VMC Server Settings - All Configurations
The first step in configuring Vizlib Server is to verify the Qlik Sense Proxy Service (QPS) and Qlik Sense Reporting Service (QRS) are connected and working correctly.
- Login to the VMC, and check the QPS and QRS status on the Dashboard page (Figure 1). The symbol
indicates a successful setup, and
indicates a setup error. Any error messages will have instructions
Figure 1: VMC Dashboard
If the setup's been successful, the next step is to check your server configuration.
- Open the System Settings\Server page.
By default, the Extension Server URL setting is used by the extension (Vizlib Collaboration or Vizlib Finance) to automatically connect to Vizlib Server. You may need to update this value if your fully qualified name (your hostname and domain name) is not accessible to your end users (e.g. access to Qlik Sense is via a load balancer or proxy).
- Check Extension Server URL has the correct value, click Save Changes, and then Restart.
Figure 2: VMC Server Settings
Virtual Proxy Default Settings
Once you've saved your settings, you'll need to check the installation's Virtual Proxy settings.
Vizlib Server uses the Qlik Sense Session to validate the authenticated user with the QPS. By default, the session cookie is valid only for the machine that the proxy is installed on.
Virtual Proxy Configuration - Qlik Sense Single Node Environment
If Vizlib Server is installed on the Central QS Node in a Single Node environment, cookies will be shared between Qlik Sense and Vizlib Server using the default virtual proxy configuration, because they will share the fully qualified domain name (FQDN).
Note: Restart Vizlib Server to complete the Virtual Proxy configuration.
This completes the setup for a Single Node configuration. If you run the Post-Installation checks and they are successful, you can start using Vizlib Server with Vizlib Collaboration or Vizlib Finance in your Qlik Sense hub. If you do encounter any errors, please see the Vizlib Server troubleshooting reference here.
Virtual Proxy Configuration - Standalone Server
If Vizlib Server is installed on a standalone server the default virtual proxy will not be able to share cookies with Vizlib Server. To configure the virtual proxy for a stand-alone server, follow these steps.
Check that you are connecting to Qlik Sense using a virtual proxy that isn't the default. You can find a list of virtual proxies for your environment in the QMC under Proxies by clicking the Node settings and selecting Virtual Proxies (Figure 3).
Figure 3: QMC Virtual Proxies
- Check that the dedicated server FQDN is on the same domain or subdomain as the virtual proxy you're using to access Qlik Sense.
- Set the virtual proxy Session cookie domain to the same domain in the URL used to connect to Qlik Sense (Figure 4) e.g. If Vizlib Server is installed on machine vizlibserver.YOURDOMAIN.com and users connect with qliksense.YOURDOMAIN.com, the domain should be YOURDOMAIN.com. This setting is stored in the QMC in the QMC in Virtal Proxies. Click on the Description to open the settings screen, then click Advanced in the right-hand Properties menu.
Figure 4: Session Cookie Domain
Note: Restart Vizlib Server to complete the Virtual Proxy configuration.
This completes the setup for a Standalone configuration. If you run the Post-Installation checks and they are successful, you can start using Vizlib Server with Vizlib Collaboration or Vizlib Finance in your Qlik Sense hub. If you do encounter any errors, please see the Vizlib Server troubleshooting reference here.
Virtual Proxy Configuration - Qlik Sense Multi-Node Environment
If Vizlib Server is installed on the Central QS Node in a Multi Node environment, you will have to configure settings in 2 stages, for the VMC and the QMC. You can find instructions on configuring a Multi-Node Environment in the VMC here, and a guide to QMC configuration here.
Once you've completed the VMC and QMC configuration, this completes the setup for a Multi Node configuration. You can run the Post-Installation Checks, and if the checks are successful, you can start using Vizlib Server with Vizlib Collaboration or Vizlib Finance in your Qlik Sense hub. If you do encounter any errors, please check our troubleshooting reference here.
Post-Installation Checks - All Configurations
When you've completed the installation, please make these verification checks as they'll minimize the risk of any connection errors being returned.
- The Vizlib Server Windows service is running.
- Log in successfully to the VMC on the server where you installed Vizlib Server.
- The VMC URL matches the server name where Vizlib Server is installed.
If a connection error is returned you can open the web browser console output for any further information if an error occurs when connecting to Vizlib Server (e.g. invalid certificate, or certificate date invalid).
Using Vizlib Server without an SSL Certificate
Vizlib Server can be installed without an SSL certificate, with two possible configuration options -
- Connecting via HTTP.
- Using exported certificates from a Qlik Sense node.
Important: Using an HTTP connection means that all communication between the Qlik Sense environment and users is unencrypted (and therefore not secure). HTTP should not be used for a production environment.
HTTP Connection
To use an HTTP connection, there are 2 steps to follow.
- In the QMC, select Allow HTTP in the proxy settings, so the connection URL begins with HTTP rather than HTTPS (Figure 5). In Proxies, click on the Node you need to configure, then select Ports from the Properties menu.
Figure 5: Allow HTTP
- In the VMC, go to System Settings>Server, disable the HTTPS setting beside the Host Name (Figure 6), then click Save Changes and Restart.
Figure 6: VMC HTTPS Disabled
Exported Certificates from Qlik Sense Node
Note: This setup will only work when Vizlib Server is installed on a Qlik Sense Node server, and can only be used Vizlib Collaboration and Vizlib Finance if they RDP to the server to establish a secure connection in the browser.
- Locate the exported PEM files in the directory
C:\ProgramData\Qlik\Sense\Repository\Exported Certificate
- In the VMC, open the Server>Qlik Sense page and add the directory path to Key file path, Cert file path and Ca file path.
Figure 7: Exported Certificates